2
Q
lntroduction
_
'The. basic requirements of good fishke‘eping are that the funda-' ’;,mental environmental conditions should be provided by a's simple
and efficient means as is Consistent with the proper maintenance
’
the desired enviro‘nment.To satisfy these requirements a knoW—
of the factors involved is obviously both advantageousand
&
rewarding and can” only enhance the enjoyment to be gained from
_
the hobby. This aspect is dealt with in detail in Chapter 2.
Fishkeeping is a very old and well-investigated hobby, but un—
Ï
fortunately one in which practical information is badly documented
‘
often not readily available, especially in terms which can be
by all aquarists. There is an emphasis on the circulation
“
of 'inf0rmati0n oir_the fishes’ physical characteristics, their breeding
“_
habits-and f00d requirements which, while being obviously essential,
-:
’
is not sùfficiéntly balanced by information on their other environ—
requirements. Much of the.information that we require is
p'aSSed by W0rd of mouth from one aquarist to another with Con—
‘sfequent altèrationS due”to 'misunderstanding, exaggeration and so
oni Many “of the old Well-used methods are still basically the best,
even thoughthèy maÿ‘ appear
to have been superseded by modern
-_alterhatives. “On the other hand, With the advent of modern equipsome
of the"olderwmethods must now be considered time
conSuming
“and in the light of modern knowledge
-
some havé“in fact been proVed to be completely wrong. Hereagain
a kn0wledgeableaqui‘s‘t With a good understanding of basic environ—
mental req‘uirements'should be able to sort out those methods which,
when correctly‘applied,make “all the difference between satisfaction
and progress,.anda‘state
of mystified slavery. _
'
The
“this book can be simply stated… It is to present
simple, safe
methods which-can be recommended for
various aquatic enviiîonments,’ and to eXplain the principles behind
these practices and} the functions of any equipment associated with '
them. It is not thOUghtthat the Cost of individual items of equip—
ment should be
for good fishkeepirig
because
the most
‘àlWay‘s the — most expensive“. As
With other hobbieS,
th—inks he needs a certain
gadget, there will
Someone willing to supply,
_
at_
an
exorbitant price! ‘Onth‘e other hand,if"the aquarist is deter-‘
_
mmed to buy only
equipment he
_'
will probably be only
will"miss a lot of the‘fur‘i‘
‘
and
interest through
In"gerieral, thosÎeitems
whrch
are requ1red Should
consideration
of llfe expectancy and reliability rather than che*apnesS.
Q
lntroduction
_
'The. basic requirements of good fishke‘eping are that the funda-' ’;,mental environmental conditions should be provided by a's simple
and efficient means as is Consistent with the proper maintenance
’
the desired enviro‘nment.To satisfy these requirements a knoW—
of the factors involved is obviously both advantageousand
&
rewarding and can” only enhance the enjoyment to be gained from
_
the hobby. This aspect is dealt with in detail in Chapter 2.
Fishkeeping is a very old and well-investigated hobby, but un—
Ï
fortunately one in which practical information is badly documented
‘
often not readily available, especially in terms which can be
by all aquarists. There is an emphasis on the circulation
“
of 'inf0rmati0n oir_the fishes’ physical characteristics, their breeding
“_
habits-and f00d requirements which, while being obviously essential,
-:
’
is not sùfficiéntly balanced by information on their other environ—
requirements. Much of the.information that we require is
p'aSSed by W0rd of mouth from one aquarist to another with Con—
‘sfequent altèrationS due”to 'misunderstanding, exaggeration and so
oni Many “of the old Well-used methods are still basically the best,
even thoughthèy maÿ‘ appear
to have been superseded by modern
-_alterhatives. “On the other hand, With the advent of modern equipsome
of the"olderwmethods must now be considered time
conSuming
“and in the light of modern knowledge
-
some havé“in fact been proVed to be completely wrong. Hereagain
a kn0wledgeableaqui‘s‘t With a good understanding of basic environ—
mental req‘uirements'should be able to sort out those methods which,
when correctly‘applied,make “all the difference between satisfaction
and progress,.anda‘state
of mystified slavery. _
'
The
“this book can be simply stated… It is to present
simple, safe
methods which-can be recommended for
various aquatic enviiîonments,’ and to eXplain the principles behind
these practices and} the functions of any equipment associated with '
them. It is not thOUghtthat the Cost of individual items of equip—
ment should be
for good fishkeepirig
because
the most
‘àlWay‘s the — most expensive“. As
With other hobbieS,
th—inks he needs a certain
gadget, there will
Someone willing to supply,
_
at_
an
exorbitant price! ‘Onth‘e other hand,if"the aquarist is deter-‘
_
mmed to buy only
equipment he
_'
will probably be only
will"miss a lot of the‘fur‘i‘
‘
and
interest through
In"gerieral, thosÎeitems
whrch
are requ1red Should
consideration
of llfe expectancy and reliability rather than che*apnesS.